Challenge 29: Animal

173. If you had to describe yourself as an animal, what animal would you select and why?

As I walked past the never ending line of transparent glass in the zoo, I caught a glimpse of a group of red pandas scurrying over the branches. As it was one of the few animals that were actually moving around, I found myself standing there, continuing to watch them play around.

Watching the family of red pandas in their captive home, I realized that I was very much like them.

- These animals are dwarfed by their black and white relatives that share the same name. Similarly I am the smallest member in my family and am taken much advantage of.

-They have a variety of things included in their diet (unlike giant pandas), including bamboo. I like to try out new dishes and experiment on things unlike my brother.

-Red pandas are usually very quiet and shy. Likewise, I am quite shy and quiet around people I do not really know.

-These small creatures like to mark their territory; any trespassers are asking for trouble. I hate it when people go through my things or are just occupying my space.

-I would consider myself a morning person, as I don’t find much difficulty in waking up early to get things done. Red pandas too are most active in the early morning hours.

-We (red pandas and I) share our habitat, the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains and in regions of Nepal and China.

-The way we start the day is also something red pandas and I share in common as they wash themselves clean to a fresh start.

-These animals know how to enjoy luxury as it comes as they love massaging themselves. I enjoy every bit of a massage as well; it’s just that somebody else does it on me.

-Rather than facing danger, red pandas try to run away from it. This is something I constantly find myself doing. I hate the feeling of knowing something bad will happen.

Challenge 28: Damon

61. Describe a fictional character. Be sure to point out what you do or do not like about the character and relate these attributes to yourself.

Damon Salvatore is a vampire from the TV show, Vampire Diaries. Holding the stereo-typical image of a vampire (ever since the Twilight saga released) he has strikingly good looks and the charm to melt every girl. His raven black hair contrasts with his bright blue eyes and all this beauty is emphasized when he gives his half-crooked smile. With light literally illuminating from him, Damon gets every girl he wants but one, Elena. The fact that he cannot get her motivates him to try harder, which is something very similar to what I do (not that I do that for guys, but just in general - reverse psychology actually works). However, watching him trying to get her is very annoying, especially because she is in love with his brother, Stephen. I hate seeing how weak he makes himself look in front of Elena and this destroys all the previous images I in mind. In the midst of all this, Damon is still very charismatic as he knows exactly what to say, knows how to have fun, and has a very blunt but enjoyable sense of humor. He is always being practical, though it may sound negative. This is something I find myself doing a lot as well, being negative as it is the truth. As the season’s go on, Damon goes from being the antagonist to a hero-like figure. The third season of the show (which is currently on screen), shows Damon going through all the trouble, taking life-threatening risks to rescue Stephen, who is currently under the compulsion of Klaus, an “original” who is a hybrid, a vampire and a werewolf. The extent he is going to save is his brother is inspiring and in the process shows the importance of a family.    

Challenge 27: Book

48. Name one book you have read in the past year, describe your reason for considering this book significant and what you gained from reading it. (Lewis and Clark College)

I don’t really find myself reading books often. The ones I do are usually recommended by family and friends, and most of the time I have a different opinion on them compared to what they told me. This one book, however, was one that I had to read for my English class. Well, I didn’t have to read it, but I wasn’t going to risk my grade for that ridiculous choice. This book is Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.

I thought this classic was going to be horrible just by reading the first two pages as I did not understand the narrator’s mental instability, but all my uncertainties were cleared as I read on and was absorbed into the storyline. Through the novel Kesey depicts modern society and how humans are conforming themselves to fit into society. This harsh truth is depicted by the patients in the asylum and the Combine working on them. I would hate to think that I am being transformed into somebody I am not, but I have to face the fact that everybody else is too and that’s just the way it goes. As times goes on and society progresses with the technological advancements and all the other changes, we have to adapt to it and change from what we were.

By reading this novel I also learnt the meaning of friendship and how big of an impact people can make in our lives. Just because of one person, McMurphy, most of the patients in Nurse Ratched’s ward, grew the courage needed to go against her. The greatest impact McMurphy has is on Bromden, the narrator. Bromden starts off as a patient who is deaf and dumb and does not make use of his physical structure. However, by spending time with McMurphy, Bromden learns to openly speak up and regains the strength he once had. 

Challenge 26: Jogging

186. Jogging has become extremely popular. Explain why you jog or why you don't.

Like every other sport, you enjoy it when it interests you. Every holiday I go to the gym with my father and brother and find myself on the piece of equipment that I enjoy using the most, the treadmill. With music blasting in my ears, my body paces itself to the rhythm of the song.

I have entered the world of my thoughts. While jogging all my worries disappear as I try to reach my goal which I set for the day. Many a times I think about inspirational, happy things (winning a race preferably) and memories that encourage me to keep going. The swish of my hair and the soft, cadenced thumping on the treadmill comforts me as my legs keep moving. Any and all signs of negativity and tiredness are drowned by the booming music. After the first few steps, I feel a tingle in my fingers and a shiver runs down my spine. But all this fades away in time the blood rushes through my body and gets me going.

This time spent in the gym allows me to bond with my father and brother who run on the treadmills beside me. I find running alongside people much more enjoyable than running alone. My brother and I often compete with each other, and this prepares us for the races we have to run in school. By the end of the jog, my body is no longer in a tensed state. Rather, it has relaxed and I am filled with a sense of satisfaction. Jogging is one of the few exercises that I enjoy and keeps me fit. 

Challenge 25: Service

175. If you were given the opportunity to spend one year in service on behalf of others, which area would you choose? Explain what you would do and why.

Living the last few years of my life all glum and quiet, without many visits from my children and grandchildren is the last way I would choose to live when I get old. Many old people live in old age homes as they are sent there by their children who cannot afford to take care of their own parents or because they don’t have children who will take care of them. The few children that send their parents to such places make seldom visits as they would have never sent them if they cared. It really makes me wonder how children can send their own parents, the very people that brought them into this world and did everything they could to make them happy, to an old age home?

If I were given the opportunity to spend one year in service, it would be in the Tibetan old age home in Pokhara, Nepal. I would go there with my grandmother, who makes frequent visits there, and help out with the chores, talk with the elderly people and listen to their stories of the past, running away from Tibet during the invasion, making a living from scratch etc.  This way, I can make them happy in their last few years and bring back treasured memories. My presence will also change the monotonous atmosphere of the place as having a member from a younger generation around will change the ambiance (hopefully) making it livelier.

One day, all of us are going to be old (and this day will come before we know it). Knowing that you have people that care about you is the most important feeling you can get when that happens.

Challenge 24: Me

50. Tell us about yourself. (University of California)

(inspired by achi’s list-style)

1.       I have spent more than half my life in a boarding school and, for the most part, I don’t regret it at all.

2.      I am really lucky to have two best-friends that are always there for me and show me the correct way when I am wrong.

3.      My favorite color is white because it is so clean and makes me feel at peace (and because of a movie I watched). If white isn’t counted as a color, I would pick red as I seem to associate most with it.

4.      It’s easy to tell when I’m embarrassed because I feel blood rush up to my face and I blush immediately. A lot of my friends laugh at me because of this.

5.      I don’t like speaking in public because I am afraid that I will make a mistake in front of everybody and make a fool out of myself.

6.      I really dislike economics. I feel so dumb in my class because I don’t understand half of the concepts being taught to us.

7.      My favorite sport is swimming. The water relaxes me and makes me feel at ease. It is the first sport that I learnt, thanks to my maternal grandfather, and every summer I love spending my time in the pool with my family.

8.      Recently I have started to realize how addicting computer games can be. So I am learning to prioritize my time wisely and get all my work done so I can play.

9.      I get really frustrated when I don’t understand something, and then I start to wonder why I seem to be the only that cannot understand. This then gets me really upset.

10.   I love talking to my mother when I am upset. Her voice comforts me, and like all mothers, she seems to know exactly what to say to cheer me up.

11.    I think a good amount of sleep is the best thing I can give to my body and mind. Without a good sleep, I am all tired the following day, and I just cannot seem to perform as well in classes.

12.   A part of me likes competition. It allows me to prove myself and I love the feeling of winning. However when the competition gets all rough and scary I’d rather just give up than start an argument.

13.   Knowing that the people closest to me are happy makes me happy.

14.   I hate seeing people cry, no matter who they are, and when I am upset I don’t like to show anybody either (unless I am talking to my mother).

15.   I have a younger brother whose kindness is something I am very envious of, yet is very inspiring.

16.    I prefer rooming with people I don’t know because throughout the term I get to know them. They usually respect my space unlike close friends of mine (not saying that I don’t like rooming with my good friends).

17.   My mother always apologizes to people even if it isn’t her fault and I find myself doing that a lot. If somebody else bumps into me, I am the one that says sorry. I find this really annoying especially when that person just glares at me and walks away.

18.   I try smiling all the time, even when I am not really happy. I know this isn’t good, but I don’t like people worrying about me, when they have bigger things to be concerned about.

19.   My concentration span really surprises me when I find myself doing something that interests me for hours. I don’t realize the amount of time that has passed while I am doing that.

Challenge 23: Talk

22. Tell us about one of the best conversations you’ve had. (Stanford/93)

            The summer vacation of 2011 is one that I will never forget as it required me travelling alone for the first time. I was going to Beijing to meet family and learn Chinese. Having a blast everyday seemed to have made the month go by in the wink of an eye. I had two days left, and my father insisted that I take my cousins out for a dinner to show my gratitude. I had been thinking of doing such a thing, but I knew that my cousins were not going to let me treat them as I was the youngest. However, I managed to sneak my way to the counter and pay. It was during this meal that I had a noteworthy conversation with my eldest cousin sister, Acha-Keyangla.

            We spoke about numerous things; from school to family, friends and the future. Acha-Keyangla, who had spent the past year on an exchange program in England, told me she was studying to become a journalist, and I told her that I wanted to work in the medical field, a plastic surgeon in particular. She asked me a few questions here and there, including where I wanted to study. “Probably America or England” I replied, “Oh, Pala (father) mentioned China should be an option too. I mean, I am learning the language and the medical schools here are supposed to be really good. So I might consider.”  Acha-Keyangla just smiled and said, “If I were you, I wouldn’t study here.”

I was already (kind of) against that idea in the first place when my Pala said it, so her negative reply was comforting. With an ice-cream sundae in front of us we talked for about an hour on this topic. “You know, you are very lucky to be studying in an international school,” she told me. “It allows you to experience different customs and the teaching methods there sound much better. Here in China, all the teacher will do is give an hour long lecture and majority of the students just memorize. Students are not allowed to think ‘outside the box’ and instead are literally told one thing which they have to follow. I feel like I learnt more than I have ever learnt in England than all the number of years I have studied in China.”

I enjoyed listening to her go on and on about how different the education systems worked and how she kept blaming the Chinese system for the way she was. I learnt a lot from her and in the process picked up many opposing arguments against Pala’s suggestion of going to a Chinese college.

Challenge 22: Risk

16. Describe a risk that you have taken and discuss its impact on your life. (Kalamazoo College/93)

Studying for tests have never been a chore, but rather something that I do automatically a day or two before the actual test date. For some reason, as the years passed by, the urge to study started fading away and I constantly found myself trying to run away from it. No matter how hard I forced myself to study I just couldn’t find myself sitting down for more than 30 minutes reading a text book.

It was a cold winter night, and I had my final math test the following day.  That night I opened my text book, turned on the desk lamp and sat down on the chair wearing a thin sweater. I thought the cold would keep me from falling asleep, but unfortunately I couldn’t resist my warm bed calling out to me. I found myself lying in bed, reading the textbook but it was obvious that I was going to fall asleep. Before I shut my eyes, I set the alarm at 6 in the morning so I could study then. That didn’t work out either as the grey clouds in the morning sky tricked me into going back to sleep.

The following day was horrible. I thought I did pretty okay on my test, but the results were not even close. This one test brought my whole average down and there was nothing I could do about it. This was the last test for the term and I had risked my grade for sleep. Knowing that I failed a test made me feel miserable and its impact on my grade showed me the importance and the effects of studying. Whenever I find myself acting in such a way again, I think of this event as I never want to experience that feeling again.

Challenge 21: Confused

165. What confuses you most in life, and why? (University of Virginia)

A number of things confuse me,

But this one stands out the most,

Especially on days like this,

When there is just nothing about to boast.

Nothing seems to be going right.

Bad grades crash my self-esteem.

Those sleepless nights for studying

Have all gone to a waste.

I feel like I put so much effort,

Yet it doesn’t seem to show in my work.

To make things worse there are those people

Who just seem to know in one go.

I feel terrible around those people,

Jealousy boils inside of me.

Why does it have to be this way,

When they seem to have some knowledge I don’t.

There’s this saying that life is unfair,

These three words keep ringing in my mind;

The only thing I ponder about now is-

Why is it so?

Challenge 20: Own question

19. Write you own essay question and answer it. (Kalamazoo College/93)

What is going on in your mind right now?

Why do people choose to do impractical things that will have no impact on their future, rather than things that will help them become a better person and shape them into the person they want to be?  I know it’s their choice to live their life the way they want and I have no reason to interfere, but what use will the short moment of glory be when you have nothing later on in life? Is giving up all your time for five minutes of fame really that important? Do these people have nothing better to do than laze around, make jokes, and waste time?

These questions puzzle me and really get me thinking. I would like to know what exactly goes on in their minds as I cannot seem to make a connection with them at all. I would hate to waste the hard-earned money my parents pay for the school fees, which seems to keep increasing every year. If I ever acted in such a way, my guilty-conscience would tear me apart, bit by bit, to a point that I wouldn’t be able to withstand, and my world would crumble. Why don’t these people feel the same way I do? I mean, I know that no two people are alike, but this should be obvious!

A few years ago, I had an argument with my father. During this argument I remember saying, “Because I’m special” in a very sarcastic yet angry tone. Since the room was already filled with tension, my father replied in the same tone with a short laugh of disbelief, “Do you really think you’re special? Out of the 7 billion people in the world, you’re the only special one huh?” (He said something along those lines). That question struck me bad. Even though he didn’t mean it and it was just to put me in my place, it hurt. I realized that I was just another person in this big, bad, world.

Within my group of friends or in my family I might be better than some of them and different in my own way, but looking at the bigger picture, I know that there are so many people that are better than me and very similar to me. I don’t understand why some people cannot seem to be aware of that? They need to see that even though they are good in particular things, you cannot give up on all the other things, especially when they have the potential to be good at many things. Having multiple skills that you are good at is better than being really good at just one thing and horrible at the rest. Times are changing and so is the world, it asks for more from you and you cannot give up.    

Challenge 19: Good Parent?

183. Do you think that you have the qualifications of a good parent? Discuss.

My mother is the most considerate, loving, person I know. She listens to all my complaints, showers me with love, makes me feel special and most importantly teaches me how to make this life beneficial. My mother corrects me when I am wrong, and most of her habits are something I longingly want to acquire. She calls every once in two days making sure I drink enough water and get enough sleep. No matter what time of the day it is, she takes time off to listen to me and nobody’s shoulder is as comforting as hers to cry on. My mother is the most patient person I know and is someone whose traits fit perfectly for a good parent.

Unfortunately, I do not posses those qualities. I am often irritated easily, and I do not have the patience to wait for more than a few minutes. This definitely means that I cannot wait for a baby to sleep or wait for children, while they play after school. I am very grumpy when I am woken up at night and I don’t really think straight when I am still half-asleep. Having to be responsible for a child in a time like that would be very dangerous as I could be careless. I hate it when babies cry. I can never tell when they cry because they are hungry or whether they are too hot, it is extremely frustrating when I cannot find any way to communicate with them.

One of the few qualities that I posses to be good parent is that I try to comfort children when they are upset. The fact that I dislike the sound of crying makes me do anything to make it stop. Seeing people cry makes me feel really bad, and it is probably worse when a parent sees their child crying. Because of my mother, I do not have prominent bad habits. Having good habits as a parent is really important for their children as it influences them in everything they do. Children adapt to the ways of their parents.

I can definitely say that I do not possess the quality of a good parent yet. But people learn as time goes on and that is one of the many things that I will have to learn later on in my life. 

Challenge 18: Names

150. Names have a mysterious reality of their own. We may well feel an unexpected kinship with someone who shares our name, or may feel uneasy at the thought that our name is not as much our own as we imagined. Most of us do not choose our names; they come to us unbidden, sometimes with ungainly sounds and spellings, complicated family histories, allusions to people we never knew. Sometimes we have to make our peace with them, sometimes we bask in our names' associations. Ruminate on names and naming, your name, and your name's relationship to you. (University of Chicago)

“Hey you, please get me a fork.” If I had said that to a group of people in the lunch line, a number of them would turn around and look at me as if I were talking to them, or I would get a number of forks from them. But no, I was just talking to that one person who I wanted the fork from. If I had said, “Hey Achi, please get me a fork,” the rest of the people in line would know that I’m telling Achi to get me the fork, and would just go on getting their food.

Names are not just a set of letters put together for a sweet sound to the ear, but a source of identification that differentiates one person from the rest. Though other people may have the same name as you do, the reason for them to have it may be different. Names are given to you because it means something important to the people that named you.

My name, Tsewang Dhoenkyi, is given to me by my paternal great-grandfather. He composed my name in such a way that it consists of my parent’s names as well. Tsewang is a common Tibetan name for both males and females. “Tse” means life, and is also a part of my mother’s name, Tsering, and “wang” comes from the Tibetan word wangdang, which means power. Dhoenkyi, however, is very unique. In fact, even my grandparents have never heard of anyone called Dhoenkyi besides me. “Dhoen” means accomplishment, and is in my father’s name (though it has a different spelling), Dhondup, and “kyi” means happiness and gives the name a feminine touch.  

All Tibetan names have a very strong meaning. In short my whole name summarizes to be: a powerful person who happily accomplishes all her purposes in life. That is what my parents hope for me, and I try very hard to live up to it. 

Challenge 17: Smoking

180. If you could ban anything in the world, what would it be and why?

Smoking. If anything was to be banned in this world it would be smoking. This huge profit-making industry that help relax people leads to many health problems. I personally do not like the smell of smoke as it gives me headaches, but that isn’t the point, smoking is unhealthy, a waste of money, and effects not only the smokers but those around them as well. Being brought up with people smoking around me, I hated how inconsiderate they were as to smoking in a room with other non-smokers present. Non-smokers suffer as much as smokers do, in terms of illness, as they breathe in the polluted air. No, these passive smokers are more affected by inhaling the smoke than smokers are by smoking.

If smoking were banned, the people closest to me would have no choice but to stop. I have asked those people to stop more than a hundred times, yet, it doesn’t seem to work. Sometimes I feel like giving up, because they just don’t understand that I say it because I love them and smoking just increases the chances of them getting diseases of all kinds. But each time they feel a pain in the chest or have a coughing fit, I go back to my nagging on how they should quit! Is a puff of smoke that satisfying that they risk their life for it? I don’t think they realize how much it would mean to so many people if they just stopped! If smoking were banned, I would feel the relief in knowing that each cough these people coughed wouldn’t be because of smoking; the huskiness in their voice wouldn’t be because of smoking; the pain they feel wouldn’t be because of smoking. 

Challenge 16: Quote

104. What is your favorite quotation and why? (Princeton)

“Things don't have to change the world to be important.”
                                                                       -Steve Jobs

What does it take to be important? Each individual has their own opinion, and from there, he/she will take it and decide whether it is important or not, “things don’t have to change the world to be important.”

The little things in life that we take for granted are those that affect us immensely. The most important thing to me is my family. The love my family showers me with is something that nobody else can do, and that means a lot to me. This is something no one else will feel but me. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”

The friends I am lucky to have are important to me. Their friendship is something I will treasure for life. It is my friends that cheer me up and make school life a lot more enjoyable. Without my friends, my world would be empty, but this doesn’t affect the rest of the world. They don’t care about that girl who has no friends. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”

The smiles that I see, and laughter I hear, everyday are important. They make the day so much brighter, even on a gloomy winter morning when your brain is half-dead. Smiles are a silent way of communicating and can sometimes have more meaning than words. Laughter, as saying the saying goes, is the best medicine. It relieves you from stress and keeps you younger. The best and most important thing about laughter is that it has a domino effect and makes others laugh too. “Things don’t have to change the world to be important.”

My life goes on, and every other thing seems to be important. I have a wide range of things that are important to me, from materialist things to things that can’t be bought. Yet, most of these don’t change the world but are still important to me. 

Challenge 15: Telepathy

21. If you had the gift of telepathy, the ability to read other people’s minds, would you use this gift or not? Explain. (Middle East Technical University/93)

I have a secret -

I am different,

But there are others too.

We see things in minds

That we do not want to.

I try my very best

To shut out this gift

Yet sometimes it gets so hard to ignore,

As some thoughts are much of interest.

I know it is wrong to do so

Thoughts being the only thing

That one can keep to oneself;

I wouldn't want others to read my thoughts,

Even if it were in bold with a glow.

I feel as though I am stealing

As a mind appears in sight.

I don't want to invade her privacy

But her thoughts are about that guy I like!

Unfortunately, this looks quite appealing.

This gift of mine is not always bad.

It helps me truly differentiate the good from the bad.

In cases of trouble I am always there

The criminal stands out with black thoughts surrounding the air.

I have a secret

That I would give up if i could.

It makes me feel bad,

and does me little good.

Thoughts are something that shouldn't be read,

You can take it if you want, and let me pick another instead.

Challenge 14: KFC

62. Discuss how something you have read has affected you or changed your mind about something.

It was all over the news, “KFC is now open in Nepal!” Posts on facebook and constant calls and messages from family and friends back home kept reminding me that this fast food chain had opened a new branch where I lived. The first KFC opened in Nepal in the year 2009, but that did not make a difference to me. I had given up eating the chicken there. When I first told my father about it, he was amazed and didn’t believe me, but somehow I convinced him and myself that it was possible.

I made this decision in grade 7 after reading an online news article for my health class. As I sat in front of the computer screen, I was disgusted by how some people ignorantly worked there. I found the treatment of the chickens before they were butchered appalling! Injecting chemicals into these poor, harmless, creatures that had just a day or two to live, to fatten them up, and cram them up in tiny cages, were acts that are just inhumane!

After reading that article my mind-set changed completely. I was going to stop (okay, try to stop) myself from eating the juicy, crispy, golden chicken, from one of my favorite fast-food chain, for as long as I could. I’m proud to say that I did (kinda) achieve my goal. I didn’t touch a single piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken for three years. I preferred choosing another restaurant over KFC to avoid the temptation and if I did have to go in, I would just eat a corn-on-the-cob in the corner while the rest of my family and friends indulged in the chicken.

It wasn’t until last year that I started eating the chicken again. The first bite into the soft meat was … delicious; but I don’t feel like I missed out on anything. I enjoyed those 3 years without KFC and I try to eat as little of that chicken as possible. 

Challenge 13: Phew!

129. How did you get caught? (Or not caught, as the case may be. (U of Chicago)

“I don’t think I am ever going to see them again,” I thought to myself as I recalled one of the most enjoyable week that had past. Two of my closest friends had been travelling around Asia and co-incidentally were in Beijing for a week, when I was too. My cousins knew about them, but the elders didn’t, and I preferred it that way. One of the friends is a boy, and I thought it might look sketchy if they knew, after all, they are quite a bit older than me, and things were different back then. Over the week we met up quite frequently, but it didn’t hit me until the last day that I really might not be seeing them again. I felt a pang of sadness build up inside, and I knew things might just change.

I had known these two friends of mine since grade 3. Every vacation I would meet up with them back in Nepal, but time had come for them to go back to their home country. This meant, leaving me. I tried to make our last day together in Beijing as memorable as I could. I had booked the tickets for the movie, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger’s Tides” in advance, as it was a movie that all three of us had been waiting anxiously to watch. The movie was enjoyable to some extent and the night was called to an end with an ice-cream sundae treat in Haagen Dazs.

As they dropped me home, we talked about all the memories we had created, and how all of it was going to come to an end. I couldn’t bear the thought of parting with them and I knew “keeping in-touch” was going to be harder than just saying it. The only way to make the night longer was to stay out with them. But how could I? I had to be home by 9pm, and I had classes to attend the next day. With a heavy sigh, knowing the little possibility I had in running away for the night, I said my last farewell. Before they could see the tears pour down my cheeks, I turned around and waited for the guard to attend to the gate. I walked in glumly and went to my cousin sister’s room to seek comfort.

In the next hour, not only did I receive comfort but a master-mined plan as well for me to spend the night with my friends. McDonalds was open all night and day, and she always ordered in during the middle of the night when she was hungry. She said, “let’s pretend like we ordered in, and you can come out with me to get it, and then go with your friends as I come back in.” It sounded like a pretty good plan, but what about the guards, and our uncles who watched TV in the room right in front of back door? “Don’t worry, the guards don’t say anything, and let’s just ignore the uncles, and hope that they are too engrossed in their movie.” She had a reply to all my questions. All I had to remember was to be back before 6am, and I didn’t have to worry about the gate as the guards would be up all night.

My sister escorted me out the back door. We were in luck! Both the uncles were so engrossed in the game that was going on that when one of them looked up and saw us leaving, he just smiled and waved. We made our way out of the house, and I called my friends as my sister waited with me on the sidewalk. The hotel they were staying in was around 10 minutes from our place so we met up on the half-way point. From there I was free – I had made it out of the house! The rest of the night was spent watching movies, talking, and making a visit to McDonalds for a midnight snack. We walked around the neighborhood, but every now and again I felt a sense of insecurity. What if I get caught? What if my grandmother goes to check on me and finds an empty bed? I tried to erase those thoughts, but they still kept haunting me.

Those last few hours made a big difference, and the final good-bye was a happy one. I got back home at 5:40 in the morning, and the same guard opened the door with an expressionless face. I sneaked in through the back door and made my way up to my room. The moment I got there I felt a sigh of relief as my mission was complete. All those thoughts of imaging the worst scenario had been a waste of my thoughts. I sent a text message to my sister saying I got back safely. As I lay in bed, I looked over the long day I had. This was the first time I had run away from home and spent a night out. What I was most proud of was that I was not caught and I did not regret any of it. I wish the last part was true; unfortunately I did regret a fraction of it as I found myself spending the rest of the day with swollen eyes and a heavy head. 

Challenge 12: lights, camera ...

111. Imagine yourself being an actor/actress. Tell about your feelings before the opening night of the performance where you play the title role

It is empty; the stage, the chairs, the balcony. I take a deep breath and enjoy the silence while it lasts. This moment of peace is broken by a snap of a finger, and the harsh pull of my stylist. People are frantically running around me as I am forced into a chair. Working on my hair, my face, my nails and every other aspect of my appearance is what they have been paid to do. I always dreamt of myself being “prettied” up, but as they tugged on my hair to have it perfect and the eye liner poked my eye I was brought back into reality. All of this was happening because tonight was the night, the opening night.

Everyone is in a panicked state, but it isn’t until 7pm that the show starts, we still have half an-hour to go. Is something wrong with me, why am I not feeling the same way as they are? As the beauticians clip on the necklace around my neck, they are finally satisfied with the way I turn out.  I slip on my shoes and walk over to the very stylist that snapped her finger so rudely in my face. She looks nervous and I try to calm her down. I see my co-actor walking towards us, all dressed up. The three of us talk happily, forgetting the main purpose of the night.

The main lights flash on, as I hear the seats filling in, row by row. I walk quietly to the stage curtains and peek again. It is not the same sight I saw an hour ago. The stage has all the props on it, and all the chairs are full. My stomach doesn’t feel too good, and my breathing grows heavier. I feel the same way as everybody else on the set did.

I feel a tap on my shoulder and see my mother standing behind me. She smiles reassuringly and says, “I know you’ll be great.” I feel like those words have just put more pressure on me, than I already have. Everyone is called into the meeting room where we have a short encouraging discussion, which definitely comforts me. Just before going on stage, I take a peek in the mirror and see a different me. I take a deep breath and think about all the time and effort put into this. The dress-rehearsal went well, I thought to myself, so why wouldn’t this?

I find my way in the dark, on the middle of the stage. The lights flash on, and the curtains are slowly drawn. This is my moment to shine.   

Challenge 11: Change a day

38. If you could go back and change one day in your life, what would you change and why? (Santa Clara University)

All the events that I have experienced have taught me a certain lesson and made me who I am today. Whether they have had a positive impact on me, or a negative one, I have eventually learnt something from them; therefore, I would not want to change any particular day if I could, but if I had to, it would be Thursday, December 16, 2010.

I am usually not the kind of person to hurt somebody intentionally or talk back to elders, especially coming from a society in which elders are highly respected. But after being exposed to many different cultures and thoughts, my values changed from what they used to be – not an extreme change, but a slight one. This became very evident that night.

Like every other evening, Amala, my mother, came to pick Wangchuk, my brother, and me up from the hotel. It was a chilly evening, and by six o’clock the sky had become pitch black. It had been a rough day for me, not enough sleep from the night before had made me very snappy at anybody that expressed an opinion that differed from mine. Wangchuk had to face the snappy me throughout the whole day, so he realized it would be best if he just didn’t talk. As we heard a honk from the parking lot, we bundled ourselves up in our warmest coats and headed for the car. Surprisingly, Amala was making her way into the hotel. “I’ll get my bag and be right there,” she said with the most warming smile. I tried smiling back, but gave up, and continued on to the car. I chose to sit in the back, something I rarely do. Wangchuk and I sat there in the car, patiently; a minute had passed. Five minutes passed. It had been ten minutes and Amala still wasn’t back! I wasn’t surprised, but I wanted to get back home, so I got out and stomped into the hotel. I saw exactly what I didn’t want to see, Amala talking to the receptionists about how the day went. Amala became aware of my presence and hurried back to the car.

“You always do this,” I said in a tone I shouldn’t be talking in. “Momo-la (grandmother) was right when she said you forget your priorities and start talking to people at the wrong time.”

The tone I used hurt my mother more than the words. Silence followed for quite a while, until Wangchuk broke the silence and had a conversation with Amala. I felt neglected. I caught onto something Wangchuk said, and I totally disagreed with it, so I corrected him in my snappy tone. Jokingly Amala commented, “tsk tsk, your sister is just like a cat (used as an adjective in Tibetan).”

I was in no mood to joke, and Amala sided with Wangchuk in the conversation which had turned into an argument. By now I was hurt too, even though the reason for arguing was pointless. “You always side with him! Ever since I can remember, it’s always been Wangchuk, Wangchuk, Wangchuk.” Amala sighed heavily, and tried talking to me and apologizing, but I just kept quiet. After sometime, Amala was quiet too. I had avoided looking at the mirror until the silence. I saw tears well up in my mother’s eyes. I hated the fact that Amala apologized to me, when the fault was all mine, and seeing her in this state.

Things turned out pretty okay by the time we got home. The forming of tears stung my eyes as I apologized and I sighed with relief as I plunged into Amala’s arms. That night, as I thought over all that had happened in the car I realized how rude I had been my mother. To begin with I should have never showed her that attitude while I waited for her. If I could have changed things, it would have been the way I thought. Not having seen my mother the whole day, I should have been happier to see her. I should never have made that comment about Momo-la and realized that Amala, being the person she is, loves to talk, and whatever she was talking about must have been important. Lastly, I would apologize to Wangchuk for being so snappy. I don’t want to be a person that hurts others and is the reason for someone to be crying, especially to those that I love.

Challenge 10: Anger

124. What outrages you? (Wake Forest)

I try to be patient. I try to have a smile on my face all the time. But there are moments when my brain ignores those efforts and lashes out in rage. Anger is a powerful emotion that lies within every living being, waiting for something to trigger it. Anger is not a bad thing; yet, some people become crazy due to it. This emotion is one that I try very hard to control, but there are something things that my emotions, in which I try to smile, cannot surpass. These are also the things that challenge my patience and ultimately trigger my anger.

Screams, shouts, booming music, all those contribute to the list of things that outrage me. This is especially so, for times when I try to work (in fact, for a time like now; as I type, I am able to hear every word from the movie How the Grinch Stole Christmas that is playing outside). I feel my mind needs silence to work, and when any sound breaks that silence, I get annoyed. Shouting is just one of the factors that break the silence. Shouting once is negligible, but when the shout is in a microphone, for an announcement that was said a minute ago, it becomes intolerable! That just gets me angry, and makes me wonder how some people can be so deaf.

Doing unnecessary things outrage me – whether it’s me doing it, or whether it’s someone else. Surfing the web instead of doing work is an unnecessary thing I am constantly doing; not only does this infuriate me but fills me with regret too. Holding onto past memories is another one of those unnecessary things I find myself doing. I don’t have to do it, yet I cannot seem to let go of it. This thought it’s interrupted by a “shush” from a dorm parent. That’s another thing that I cannot tolerate. Consecutive “shhhhh’s,” even when there is no noise! That makes me want to shush them back, or do something that will go against the purpose of that shush.

Cluster on my desk, people barging into my room and leaving without closing the door, people sitting on my bed right after I make it (it’s no longer puffy), inconsideration, breaking promises, and the list goes on. I try very hard to overlook these miniscule things which have a negative impact on me, but everyone has particular things that outrage them, and these are just a few of mine.